


Kissing Cousins

by Celandine



Category: Eight Cousins Series - Louisa May Alcott
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-11
Updated: 2008-06-11
Packaged: 2018-01-25 05:38:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1634390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celandine/pseuds/Celandine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Archie and Mac need to find a way to wait patiently for Phebe and Rose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kissing Cousins

**Author's Note:**

> Written for emiime.

"She's an angel," said Archie to Mac as they sat over hot coffee in Mac's room, where piles of medical texts and papers scribbled over in Mac's spiky hand covered nearly every flat surface.

"Who, Rose?" Mac asked. "I heartily agree."

"No, Phebe, of course." Archie grinned at his cousin. "Although you needn't tell her I said so. I know that you two meet regularly."

"As do you and Rose." Mac pushed his glasses up. They had been walking around the city, Mac showing Archie some of the sights although snowy winter was not the best time to see them, and now that they were back in the house where he boarded, he was overheated.

"Can't avoid it even if I wanted to, always going round there to see Aunt Plenty and Uncle Alec. Besides, the dear girl is my only source for news of Phebe, although Phebe's letters to Rose always seem to be more full of news of _you_ than of _her_ ," said Archie.

"She won't write you, of course. Phebe does the proper thing always, and a young lady ought not to write to a man unless they are engaged, or family. When will you ask her again?"

"Tomorrow, after the service," Archie answered, his face rapt. "I've waited a year now."

"I hope she says 'yes,'" said Mac soberly.

Archie sighed. "So do I. But she's stubborn, determined to be worthy of me. As if she weren't already."

"You've better hope of success than I. Rose still thinks of Charlie, I believe," was Mac's reply, and Archie reached out to clasp Mac's arm.

"Charlie didn't deserve her as you do. Steady, hard-working chap that you are, Rose will see your worth, I'm convinced of it. Give her time."

"Oh, I shall, all she asks for. That's why I came away, you know, to see if absence would indeed make her heart grow fonder; I didn't need it for myself." Mac went over to the fire, where the coffee-pot kept warm, and poured each of them another cup.

"I hope it's done the same for Phebe," said Archie, "although she has plenty of other choices now."

"Phebe's a dear girl, with a true heart. She's only trying to show she deserves to become a Campbell," Mac said.

"You sound like Aunt Plenty. How could Phebe not be deserving?" said Archie hotly.

"I think she is, you know that," said Mac. "But Phebe undervalues herself. She can't forget where she came from, nor to whom she owes her present good fortune."

Archie's expression softened. "I know. But please God, if she accepts me she will never have to fend for herself again."

Mac settled back in his seat. "What will you do if she asks you to wait longer?"

"I'll wait, of course," said Archie with an air of surprise. "Aren't you waiting for Rose?"

"Rose hasn't given me any reason to believe she _will_ say yes, when I ask," said Mac. "Only the hope that her feelings might change in time. I'll wait, though, ten years if I must."

"You would." Archie looked at him with an admiration that was the greater for his having been used to the old Worm, who would never have made such a romantic remark. "I'd like to think I could wait ten years for Phebe, if it came to that, but I don't know if I could bear it."

"Couldn't you, for her?"

"My heart might, but not other portions of my anatomy," said Archie a trifle ruefully. "You know what I mean."

"I do." Mac eyed his cousin thoughtfully. "I know you would never consider a visit to the 'soiled doves' who frequent a certain part of town."

"Certainly not." Archie spoke with resolution. "I wouldn't be worthy of Phebe if I did."

"No," agreed Mac. He paused, then added, "There are other possibilities. I heard you and Charlie, on the island, more than once."

Archie flushed. "We were boys."

"Young men," Mac corrected. "It wasn't _that_ long ago."

"Phebe and Rose were away with Uncle Alec, and who knew when they would come back?" Archie defended himself.

"I don't quarrel with what you and Charlie did," said Mac. "Quite the opposite; I'm suggesting we might do the same."

Archie looked at his cousin and realized that Mac was serious. He had never thought to hear such a proposal from Mac's unworldly lips; was it living so far from home that had altered him, or was it just that Archie had never known Mac as well as he had believed?

Memories of sultry nights and Charlie's caresses tempted.

"Have you-?" He was unsure how to ask whether Mac really knew what he was doing.

Mac cocked his head. "Medical students are quite accustomed to things that others might consider, shall we say, less than refined? Also learning through practice."

He had hesitated to make his suggestion, but risked it with the thought that it would be better for both of them than the alternatives. Maidenly modesty ought not to be disturbed until its possessors became matrons, sampling the dubious charms of street women bore too many hazards, and after a time self-pleasuring merely aggravated loneliness.

"I accept, then." Archie put down his coffee cup. "I presume you mean now?"

In answer Mac rose and, crossing to the door, locked it. As he walked back toward Archie and past him to the neatly-made bed, his fingers worked to unbutton the dark broadcloth of his coat, and then the white shirt underneath.

This was the Mac that Archie knew after all, direct to a fault. He smiled at the thought and stood to remove his own coat, hanging it over the back of the chair, stooping to take off his shoes before he padded over to the bed, and Mac, who lay on his side with his head propped on his hand, watching Archie. He had set his glasses on top of a stack of books and blinked myopically at Archie.

"What exactly did you and Charlie do?" Mac asked. "I heard, as I said, but I never saw."

Archie flushed at the memory, but if Mac meant to arouse him, the effort was successful. "Rubbed against each other, mostly. Once we tried using our mouths, but he didn't care for that." His hand had moved instinctively to hide the bulge in his trousers, and he dropped it, feeling foolish.

"I do," said Mac.

Archie swallowed. "So do I," he admitted. He hadn't been willing to do it for Charlie without reciprocation; the Prince had been cocky enough as it was.

"Well, then." Mac unfastened his trousers and pushed them down together with his underpants, rolling a bit awkwardly to remove them and stretching out bare and seemingly unembarrassed. "Shall we?"

The slight tremor in Mac's voice -- Archie only just caught it -- reassured him that his cousin was not quite as worldly as he made out. He finished taking off his own clothes, though as Mac had done he remained in stocking feet.

"Yes." Archie crawled onto the bed.

"Turn around," Mac murmured.

"What? Oh." Archie realized what Mac meant, and reversed himself.

Mac slid down, his breath warm against Archie's naked thighs, and Archie gave a groan that he hastily stifled with a fist when Mac's mouth closed around him. He reached for Mac in return, stroking the heated length with his fingertips before bringing it to his mouth.

Charlie had been squeamish about this, but Archie had not disliked the taste, and had rather liked the feeling that he could bring the other boy such pleasure. Mac evidently felt as Archie did, for he made encouraging noises as Archie sucked at him, and did the same in return.

The scent of Archie's skin was warmer, more familiar than that of the fellow-students with whom Mac had experimented on previous occasions. He pressed close, hands and lips and tongue all working together to coax out Archie's release. When it came, Mac waited patiently for Archie to recover enough to finish reciprocating; he knew the Chief would not welsh on their implicit bargain, and so it proved.

Dressing again afterward, Archie considered the matter. It was only cousin helping cousin, as they had always done, he decided, and put away any thought of guilt. If he found relief with Mac, he would come to Phebe unsullied by any other woman.

Mac raked his fingers through his hair and put his glasses back on to smile at Archie as the cousins bid each other farewell.

"I shall think of you and Phebe tomorrow, and hope she makes you happy," said Mac.

"Thank you." Archie grasped Mac's hand, then impulsively embraced him. "If there is anything I can do about Rose, don't hesitate to ask."

"Time will bring her answer," said Mac in a philosophical tone, and they parted. 

 


End file.
